Feature story

Senghor University to include AIDS in its health curriculum in collaboration with UNAIDS

21 October 2010

UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé and Dr Christian MÉsenge Director of the Health Department at Senghor University of Alexandria. Credit: UNAIDS/Chironi

UNAIDS and the Senghor University of Alexandria signed an agreement of cooperation to include a 25 hour module specific to AIDS in the university’s curriculum of their Master’s degree on Health.

The memorandum of understanding was signed in Geneva on 21 October 2010 by UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé and Mr Albert Lourde, Rector of the Senghor University.

The agreement also established that a selected group of students cursing the second year of the master’s degree will have the opportunity to undertake their mandatory 3 months internship in several UNAIDS country offices located in West and Central Africa as well as the Middle East and North Africa regions.

UNAIDS will also certify the continuing education courses organized by the University throughout the francophone Africa when such courses are related to AIDS.

This initiative is a consequence of the broader cooperation agreement between UNAIDS and the International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF) signed in December 2009 focusing on institutional dialogue between governments, partners, stakeholders in the field and civil society. The IOF and UNAIDS strengthened their collaboration for the benefit of the peoples of the French-speaking world, specifically the most vulnerable.

The main areas of cooperation, which were identified with the Operating agencies of La Francophonie, could thus be embodied in new tailor-made agreements built around the themes of democracy and human rights, including legislative aspects of HIV, and education and research, in conjunction with the University Agency of La Francophonie (AUF) and the Senghor University of Alexandria.

This new agreement signed with Senghor University embodies the ties between UNAIDS and La Francophonie by building the capacity of the francophone countries in terms of human resources as well as raising awareness of the AIDS epidemic and UNAIDS work.